


In Time

by crystaltear (Heartensoul)



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Character Study, Complete, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-21
Updated: 2013-06-21
Packaged: 2017-12-15 15:47:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/851287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heartensoul/pseuds/crystaltear
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She captures images and collects them within the scrapbook of her mind for safe keeping, to be pulled back up to the surface on a tough day at the office or when loneliness crept up during a tour. They are her beautiful reminders: This is what she works so hard for. This is why she keeps on fighting. For them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Time

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for Church of Lemons 2008.

It is during the lunch hour that she manages to scoot away from her room and out of the hotel without notice: she knows where her guard detail is posted, and she misbehaves so little that they are more concerned with what everyone else is doing. She doesn’t like to cause them trouble, but she wants to get out for bit and walk among the ordinary people of the colony. She loves watching people; it is one of her favorite pastimes. 

L-2 is a relatively peaceful colony, and the way people walk along the streets supports this claim. Many of her colleagues take small trips here for vacationing, and she keeps that thought in mind as she perched a small pair of sunglasses on her nose. It would not be good to be recognized while alone, even by a friend. 

She had also heard from a (nosy) source that Heero might be on this colony as well, but the information was to be wasted. She has neither the time nor inclination to search for him, and just hopes he is enjoying whatever it is he is doing with himself. She hadn’t even given Heero Yuy much thought lately--well, no, that was a lie. She sometimes thought of Heero, but it was in the passing thoughts of moments of nostalgia or when she would wonder what he would think about a particular event. She no longer harbors such a need for his attention now that she has settled into the responsibility of her role as peace-keeper between two very different realms of living. That he exists, wherever he is, is enough for her to draw strength from when she needs it.

Different realms of living: Earth and the Colonies. She smiles sadly as the word “different” drifts through her thoughts, contradicting what she sees in front of her eyes. Here, walking among the people that identified themselves as citizens of the L-2 colony, the only thing that identifies where she is is the bit of the sky hologram that has been turned off while maintenance of the inner shell of the colony is done. The people, the streets, the hustle and bustle of this busy world made no difference from any of the others, and she tries with all her might to communicate that to everyone. What good came from hate? And what is there to hate when each human is one in the same when stripped down to the core?

A strong breeze rises up to the right of her, cooling her face in the artificial summer heat. She decides to turn into it, pushing against the light resistance and securing her hat in place with her hand. She doesn’t necessarily need the added protection of her hat and glasses thanks to her newly dyed brown hair, but hiding behind the brims gives her the confidence to walk around openly observing the people she loves so dearly without the fear of recognition.

She passes a park overflowing with children and parents and some picnic lunches, taking in their joy as they enjoy the day. Across the street, she watches a young couple window shop, the young woman pointing excitedly as she decides what she likes, perhaps as an upcoming birthday or anniversary gift. She captures these images and collects them within the scrapbook of her mind for safe keeping, to be pulled back up to the surface on a tough day at the office or when loneliness crept up during a tour. They are her beautiful reminders: This is what she works so hard for. This is why she keeps on fighting. For them.

She lets her feet and the beckoning of the breeze carry her through the streets to a more populated area of the town, and she glances into the shops as she passes them by. At the end of the avenue she comes to the grounds of a small university that must have just let classes out. She weaves through the crowd easily, basking in the anonymity of the moment as it passes. 

And pass it does, because suddenly her shaded eyes are captured by a deep cobalt blue gaze, and she stops where she is standing. Recognition mirrors on both of their faces, and she mouths his name silently in case that is no longer the name that he goes by. His hair is tamer and his build slightly bulkier, a couple of inches added to the length of his body and softer features in the face, but it is him.

Heero.

She starts walking again, slowly, and goes right past him. She is unsure if he wants to be bothered, and will not make him interact with her unless he wishes. She tells herself she will not care much if he does not, but a small smile of relief appears when he falls into step with her, both of them then working their way through the crowd until they can finally speak unguarded.

“Where is your guard detail?” he murmurs to her, glancing around curiously.

“At my hotel,” she replies. “They may be looking for me at this point, but I think it may be a few hours before they notice.”

“You always were a handful to keep track of.”

She smiles at this. “You, too.”

She follows him down the streets and they end up back at the park she had been observing earlier. It is there that they sit among the grass as though they are just two young adults and not children of war. And in truth, it was only her that wears the façade: Heero, now a university student studying engineering, has seemingly stripped away the soldier persona. 

“I’m so glad to know you are happy,” she tells him, her genuine happiness about it making her eyes water just a bit. He is coping and he has moved on from the horrible things of his past. And yet he still does not mind seeing her.

He seems to know not to ask about work beyond general inquiries: this is a moment of temporary release from her duties and he respects that. He asks, instead, about her family, and then about the non-profit organization that she had started a few years before. 

As she gushes about her pet project, about the progress they have made and the people who have been helped so far, he smiles and he kisses her, finally. The hesitation of the two kisses they had almost shared in the past is absent, the shackles of obligation having finally set Heero free. He is allowed to feel now, and the relief that he would still want to do such a thing washes over her whole being. His eyes, so bright and carefree, are the most beautiful thing she can ever remember seeing.

“I have always wanted you to do that,” she admits as she adjusts herself to lie down on the grass, her head pillowed in his lap. From this angle she can see how the sunlight touches the ends of his hair and frames his face.

“Well, there you have it.” His fingers brush against her neck and she shivers, turning into the touch. He traces up to her hairline. “Not the greatest cover, but the color looks nice.”

“I don’t recall you doing more than a costume change.”

“Hmm. If you say so.”

She finds over the time they spend there that he is still a reserved person to some degree, but it makes him an appealing person. They exchange viewpoints--some similar and some different--but they do not speak of war. Instead, they talk of the future and of the joys of freedom.

But she is not free, not yet. She is still tucking this moment away for later, adding Heero’s humanity to her scrapbook of dearly cherished things to protect and prioritizing it as one of her most important. She is getting a brief taste of a time when she will no longer need to collect moments of the mundane.

“I think I may step down after I finish this term,” she suddenly says. It is something she has thought of the past few months, but has not yet the courage to voice until now. What if everyone thought she was abandoning her duties? She watches his face closely for a sign of his feelings. He seems guarded on swaying her, so she prompts him further. “What do you think about that?”

His gaze shifts from her out into the street. “The people rely on you for strength and support. You’re their leader and their hope, Relena. That in itself is a reason to remain, but it’s also a good reason to step down.”

She wrinkles her nose at what he is suggesting. It is an idea that does not sit well with her. “You believe the people have become too comfortable with me playing a major role in maintaining peace?”

“Too much time may cause them to rely too much on your presence. It’s better to show them that peace can be maintained even in the hands of new representative.” He looks back down at her, finally, the corners of his mouth tilted upward. “And don’t you think you should enjoy the peace you’ve helped create?”

Her eyes close and her hearts lifts as the permission she has been seeking is finally granted. Three years and she will be able to hand over her duties to another qualified person, and she will now be able to do so with a clear conscience.

“Will you still want to see me then?” she asks playfully.

“Of course.”

She latches onto the promise and tucks it away, into her little scrapbook for the time being. One day she hopes to pull it out and use it: on a day just like this one, but without the need for a farewell.

But for today, there would be farewells, and she eventually allows Heero to escort her to the safety of her hotel entrance, her hat in one hand and his palm against the other. She says goodbye to Heero and his beautifully worn freedom, her heart light.

She would get her chance to wear it as well, in time.


End file.
